


5 Times Hongjoong and Seonghwa took Polaroids + 1 Time the group took one for them

by Thistley



Series: The Polaroid Affair [1]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: 5 Things, 5 Times, 5+1 Things, Ateez Award Win, Birthday Cake, Birthdays, Bouquets, Canon Compliant, Coming Out, Crying, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Flowers, Fluff, Hotels, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sexual Content, M/M, Secret Relationship, Sort Of, Talks of Engagement, Valentine's Day, idolverse, kind of, photo album, polaroids, promise rings, talks of marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:15:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25447465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thistley/pseuds/Thistley
Summary: Being a Korean idol made many things difficult, but most of all it made a same-sex relationship difficult. Afraid of digital photos getting exposed, Hongjoong and Seonghwa decide to document their relationship through the medium of Polaroid photographs in a secret photo album.Here is 5 times they took a photo and 1 time someone else did.
Relationships: Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Series: The Polaroid Affair [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1843159
Comments: 26
Kudos: 251
Collections: ateez ff





	5 Times Hongjoong and Seonghwa took Polaroids + 1 Time the group took one for them

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, all. I hope you like this. I included hyperlinks for some inspiration photos, but you don't have to click. I do have a sort-of sequel planned for this that should be written and up soonish, I'll add it to the series.
> 
> A comment and.or kudos would really make my day!
> 
> Let me know if you want to see me write anything else, I'm always up for requests.
> 
> As always with RPF, please don't bother Ateez with this. And don't repost. <3.

1: After Their Win

The exhilaration and strength from their win was still thrumming in their veins as Seonghwa stumbled backstage, still clutching Hongjoong’s shoulders. He could still feel the tears on his face, contrasting heavily with the ear-wide smile splitting his face. Hongjoon’s sobs had died down and he was stumbling along under Seonghwa’s grip, the shock from the win evident in his blank stare.

They stumbled into the changing room together after the rest of the group, smiling at the congratulations of various staff members mulling about. Seonghwa pried the trophy from  
Hongjoong’s hands and placed it on a side table, taking his hands in his own instead.

“Hey, you okay?” He asked quietly, searching Hongjoong’s face.

Hongjoong paused for a moment and then nodded. “I just - I hoped, but I never actually thought we’d win.” His expression broke into a soft smile. “We did it, Seonghwa.”

Seonghwa took his face into his hands and pressed their foreheads together. “We did,” he whispered. “And we never could’ve done it without you.”

Hongjoong’s cheeks flushed pink but he didn’t look away. “We should get changed,” he said, gesturing to their sweat-soaked stage outfits.

“Wait,” Seonghwa said, breaking apart for a moment to rummage in his abandoned bag nearby. He pulled out a blue Polaroid camera. “You look good in white,” he said, smiling cheekily. 

Seonghwa pulled Hongjoong into a half hug and brought a shaky hand up to take the picture. Hongjoong whined into his shoulder but smiled anyway, not bothering to wipe away the tear tracks.

“Look,” Seonghwa said once the photo had developed. He held it gently in his hand. 

Seonghwa was looking directly at the camera, a smile on his face. Hongjoong’s face was leaning against his shoulder, half his face visible, a soft smile present. Both of them had tear tracks marrying their cheeks. Hongjoon’s faded red hair was striking against his white stage outfit.

Hongjoong smiled and reached for the photo, plucking it for Seonghwa’s hands. “Do we have a pen?”

Seonghwa passed one over from a nearby stylist.

_’Ateez Win - HJ <3 SH’_

“We’ll add it to the album when we get home,” Seonghwa promised, and then he put the photograph safely away in his bag. “Let’s get changed.”

-

2: During a Hotel Stay

The rest of Ateez were used to Hongjoong and Seonghwa automatically pairing up for hotel room stays. Tours were exhausting and it wasn’t worth the effort to debate something so small so after a few months worth they’d stopped including them in their little assignment games.

“8 rooms?” their manager asked, confused as they booked into the first hotel room for their Korean tour.

The receptionist nodded, pushing the key cards across the desk. “8 rooms and 9 key cards, one each for the pair in room 302,” she said in a bored tone.

The manager’s gaze flicked to Hongjoong and Seonghwa. “You guys know you can have separate rooms, right? We have the budget this tour.”

Seonghwa smiled and ducked his head a little.

“We like sharing,” Hongjoong cut in. He walked forward and swiped the two key cards, not bothering to pass one to Seonghwa, who didn’t mention it. The receptionist nodded slightly and raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow at their manager.

The remaining 6 members laughed quietly but each picked up their own card and disappeared, too desperate for a shower and sleep to bother teasing them. Their manager shook his head but took his card, too, and promptly left with a brief warning for Hongjoong and Seonghwa to be up at 7am the next morning.

Seonghwa and Hongjoong followed suit, unlocking their room and depositing their suitcases on the floor. Seonghwa flopped down backwards on one of the two double beds. 

Hongjoong shut the door and then flopped down on top of him so that their noses were almost touching. “Hey there,” he said, a silly grin on his face.

“Hey,” Seonghwa whispered. He pulled himself up a little to press a chaste kiss to Hongjoong’s lips. “It’s been a while since we’ve been alone.”

Hongjoong hummed. “It sure has.”

They stayed staring for a few moments. 

Hongjoong ducked his head so his lips were almost touching Senghwa’s ear. “Want to make the most of it?” he whispered.

Seonghwa tutted. “Oh, I don’t know…” he teased. “Maybe I want to take a shower and go to bed.”

Hongjoong nodded, a faux-serious look on his face. “Of course. I’d better accompany you to the shower then, if you’re so tired. Just in case.” A grin twitched at his lips.

Seonghwa mimicked the faux-seriousness. “Lead me there then,” he murmured lowly. 

Hongjoong did just that.

*

They were lying in bed together later, hair still damp from the earlier shower, hotel sheets wrapped around each other. Seonghwa turned his head to the left to admire Hongjoong.  
“You’re pretty,” he said.

Hongjoong smiled bashfully, “Shut up,” he replied. He leaned away for a moment to rummage in his suitcase beside the bed.

“It’s been a while since we added to the album,” he said as he pulled out the Polaroid camera. “What do you say?”

Seonghwa pulled himself closer in response, resting his chin on Hongjoong’s shoulder and facing in the vague direction of the camera.

Hongjoong pressed the shutter and gently held the black photograph, waiting for it to develop.

They watched in silence as the picture slowly came to life. Hongjoong was the main focus, vibrant red hair damp around his face, skin glowing and bare. He was shirtless but had the white hotel sheets pulled up to his collarbones. Seonghwa was using Hongjoong as a pillow, resting peacefully on his shoulder. He, too, was bare faced and shirtless. The sheets were slightly more lax, a good portion of his bare chest showing. He was looking at Hongjoong, a soft smile on his lips.

“We look good,” Seonghwa murmured. “Pen?”

Hongjoong nodded and rummaged around again for a pen, producing a pink biro. “You do the honours?” he asked, handing the two items over.

Seonghwa forcefully pushed Hongjoong onto his side and giggled as he leaned on his back to write.

 _’First Hotel of Tour - HJ <3 SH’_ he wrote in his neat script. He pressed a butterfly kiss between Hongjoong’s shoulder blades before passing it back.

Hongjoong looked at it wistfully. “I used to hate not being able to have digital photos of us,” he said, staring at the photo. “But you know what?” he glanced at Seonghwa and met his eyes. “I think I prefer this.”

-

3: Valentines day [Bouquet Described]

Seonghwa slowly closed the door behind him and slipped off his shoes, balancing precariously on one foot as he tried not to drop the bouquet of flowers in his hands. It was 7am and, since they had the day off, the other members were still asleep, giving him the perfect opportunity to sneak out and get Hongjoong a Valentine’s present.

Living in a dorm, and sharing a room, with him meant that hiding things was tricky, especially when there were 6 other people perfectly willing to rummage through your belongings. Seonghwa had snuck out at 6:30am to go to the small, local flower shop, hat and mask pulled over as a disguise. He’d come out with a beautiful bouquet.

He padded quietly across the living room and into the kitchen to place them in the sink for a moment. Abenstmindely, he also filled a glass of water and leaned against the kitchen counter as he took a sip. 

He finished the glass and picked up the flowers, shaking off the excess water slightly and then filling a vase he’d found lurking at the very back of the cupboard the night before.

_”Why is this glass so big?” San asked as he pulled it down from the cupboard._

_Seonghwa swooped in and took it from his hands, placing it safely on the countertop. “It’s a vase, genius. I didn’t even know we had this.” He examined it slightly._

_“We bought it after we got flowers at a radio show,” Mingi added from where he was stirring something on the stove._

_Seonghwa looked at it thoughtfully before placing it back safely in the cupboard._

He placed the flowers in it and arranged them slightly. The bouquet was yellow roses, sunflowers, yellow tulips and small sprigs of lavender. Yellow, Hongjoong’s favourite colour. He smiled and brushed a petal, admiring them for a few moments before picking up the vase and taking it to their room.

He opened the door slowly to see that Hongjoong was still asleep, sprawled out on his back. Seonghwa flopped beside him, cramming them together in the small bottom bunk (they still slept separate, a lot of the time, because of their mixed schedules. That and the lack of space for a bigger bed).

“Hongjoong-ah,” he sang lightly in his ear.

Hongjoong murmured something unintelligible and blinked his eyes open. “Oh - hello,” he said.

Seonghwa smiled. Hongjoong was still half asleep, hair a complete wreck. He ran a hand through it to make it stick up more. Hongjoong playfully slapped his hand away.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Seonghwa,” he said. He pressed a kiss to his lips.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Hongjoong. I got you something.” Seonghwa pulled at Hongjoong’s hand until he was covering his own eyes. “Wait.”

Hongjoong huffed but complied, startling a little when Seonghwa sat back down on the bed.

“Open,” Seonghwa said.

Hongjoong broke out into a blinding smile when he saw the flowers, pulling Seonghwa into a gentle hug (as to not squash the delicate blossoms). “They’re beautiful,” he said. “They’re-”

“Yellow,” Seonghwa cut in. “Your favourite.”

“My favourite,” Hongjoong murmured. He leaned down slightly to blindly find something under the bed, and produced the Polaroid camera after a few swipes. “Something for the album,” he said.

Seonghwa grinned and snaked an arm around his waist, leaning on his shoulder. Hongjoong clutched the flowers so they were in frame and pressed the shutter. They stayed together like that as the image developed, Seonghwa wrapped securely around Hongjoong. 

“It’s cute,” Hongjoong said once the picture had developed. The flowers were vibrant at the bottom of the frame, half of their faces almost cut off.

Wordlessly, Seonghwa handed him a pen.

_’Valentine’s Day - SH <3 HJ’_

-

4: Seonghwa’s Birthday

“I hate you guys so much,” Seonghwa said with a laugh as he wiped cake frosting from his eyes. The others all laughed as they bounced happily around the practice room, childish glee from catching one of their eldest off guard.

“You smashed my face into my cake last year,” Mingi pointed out with glee. “Revenge!”

Seonghwa rolled his eyes and licked some frosting off his fingers. “Hm…tastes good at least.” He jumped when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders.

Hongjoong giggled in his ear and swung them both around in circles. “Happy birthday!”

Seonghwa tried to keep a serious glare on his face but broke after a few seconds, joining Hongjoong as a laughing mess. He let himself get dragged over to a sofa in the corner where everyone had piled their bags. 

Hongjoong pulled the Polaroid camera out of his bag and wiggled it at Seonghwa.

Seonghwa raised an eyebrow. “Bringing that here’s a little risky, isn’t it?”

He got an eye roll in response. “I’ll make them buy a new one if it gets broken.” He hummed for a few moments. “It’s honestly a miracle no-one had found and stolen it yet.”

“That we know of,” Seonghwa whispered under his breath, ducking to avoid a light slap from Hongjoong. 

“C’mon,” Hongjoong said. “Get in frame. We need to add your birthday to the album.” He wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him in roughly.

“I’m covered in cake!” Seonghwa complained, letting himself fall into his boyfriend’s chest anyway. He smiled towards the camera.

Hongjoong lifted the camera and hovered to press the shutter - and then licked a stripe up Seonghwa’s cheek.

Seonghwa registered that just as the shutter went off and recoiled. “Ew, what the fuck Hongjoong?”

He laughed as he held the printed photo. “You were right, the frosting is nice!”

Their trouble had attracted attention and the rest of the group had quietened down to look their way. Yeosang raised an eyebrow. San stepped forward and pulled the Polaroid out of the hands of a still-laughing Hongjoong. He cracked a smirk and gestured for the rest of the group to look.

Seonghwa rolled his eyes but joined them anyway. 

The photo was a little blurry, captured as Seonghwa was in motion. He was still smiling but had begun to recoil backwards. Hongjoong’s tongue was stuck out and licking down his cheek, leaving a line clean of white frosting in its wake. 

“What are you going to do with this?” Jongho said, stealing it from San. 

“We have a photo album,” Hongjoong said as he stole it back and uncapped a pen. He leaned against a wall to caption it, shielding it slightly from the others.

_’HJ <3 SH - Seonghwa’s Birthday’_

Jongho snorted. “Why don’t you just take them on your phones like normal people?”

Hongjoong tucked the photo and camera away in his bag. He shrugged. “I just like it like this.”

“You never take any with us,” Yunho whined, but he dropped it anyway and wandered away to warm up.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa shared a small smile before going to join them.

-

5: Promise Rings [HJ’s ring] [SH’s ring]

“Seonghwa,” Hongjoong said one day as they were relaxing together in their room during one of their rare days off.

“Yeah?” Seonghwa replied from where he had been reading a book on the top bunk. He leaned over the bars to see Hongjoong laying on his back and looking up.

Hongjoong bit his lip. “I, uh. I have something for you. A gift.”

Seonghwa blinked in surprise and swung his legs over the side so he was sitting upright. “Oh?”

Hongjoong sat up and pulled at Seonghwa’s legs until he got the hint and climbed down to sit beside him. Seonghwa noticed a little bag in Hongjoong’s hands.

“I remember we talked about it a few months ago,” he said as he played with the drawstring. He passed it over.

Seonghwa opened it. Inside the small black velvet bag was a ring. A simple silver band with a small pink gem at the centre. The inside had a single word engraved: “Promise”. He glanced at Hongjoong, who was still looking down.

“I know we can’t get engaged. We're idols, and it’s not legal anyway. But...maybe one day? I just wanted you to have something. It’s a promise ring.” Hongjoong looked up at Seonghwa. “I want us to get married one day. I promise.”

Seonghwa felt a tear fall from his eye as he slipped the ring on his right-hand ring finger. “So the fans don’t speculate,” he said. He smiled at Hongjoong and pulled him into a tight hug.

“You like it?” Hongjoong asked quietly into his shoulder.

Seonghwa squeezed tighter. “I love it.” He let out a tearful laugh. “Actually - one minute.”

He got up and rummaged in a draw before pulling out a single ring. He presented it to Hongjoong. “I got you one, too.”

Hongjoong looked stunned as he took the ring, examining it. It was an even simpler ring than Seonghwa’s, a plain golden band. He held it out to Seonghwa who slipped it on his right-hand ring finger for him, pressing a kiss to it.

“I love you,” Hongjoong said. 

“I love you too,” Seonghwa replied. “You know what this calls for?”

“Photo?

“Photo.”

Hongjoong lay his hand over Seonghwa’s palm so that both rings were visible and let Seonghwa click the shutter. They kept their hands there as they watched it develop.

_’Promise Rings - SH <3 HJ’_

-

+1: Asleep

“Hyung, can I borrow your yellow sweater?” Wooyoung asked, poking his head around the living room door.

Hongjoong, who was reading a book, glanced up and nodded. “It’s in my wardrobe.”

Wooyoung shot him a thumbs up and disappeared into the corridor. In his rush he bumped into Yunho.

“Oh, hi,” he said.

Yunho raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going?”

“To raid Hongjoong-hyung’s wardrobe. Wanna join me?” he replied.

Yunho hesitated for a moment and then shrugged, turning on his heel and making his way to Hongjoong and Seonghwa’s room. He opened the door and peeked in. “No Seonghwa-hyung,” he reported.

He both traipsed in and made a beeline for the wardrobe. Wooyoung immediately skimmed through hangers, but his attention was caught by a flash of pink.

“What’s that?” he asked.

Yunho looked at him. “What’s what?”

“That.” Wooyoung bent down to pull the object out.

It was a small book, the words “Photo Album” inscribed on the front.

“Oh,” Yunho said. “It must be that photo album he was telling us about on Seonghwa-hyung’s birthday.”

Wooyoung nodded and opened it to a random page. It was a photo of Seonghwa and Hongjoong dressed in all white, tear tracks on their faces. The messy handwriting labeled the photo as “Ateez Win - HJ <3 SH”.

“It’s from our win,” Wooyoung told Yunho. He smiled. “It’s a cute photo.”

Yunho reached around and flipped a little further forward. The photo they landed on them made them pause a little. It was the two in bed at a hotel, very obviously topless and very close. 

“First hotel of tour,” Yunho read. “I remember that. They chose to room together. I think manager-hyung gave them separate beds, though.”

Wooyoung hummed. “Did they ever take any photos with you?” he asked, glancing at Yunho.

He shook his head. “Not Polaroids, no. Let’s keep going.”

Wooyoung flipped the page. “Oh,” he breathed. He had the sudden realisation that they were intruding on something quite private.

“Valentine’s day,” Yunho read. “That means -”

“Yeah,” Wooyoung cut in. He looked at the photo, Hongjoong and Seonghwa smiling at the camera, a bouquet of yellow flowers in frame. Several dried petals were taped beside the picture, each one labeled.

“Sunflower, rose, tulips. Yellow flowers.” he said.

“That’s Hongjoong-hyung’s favourite colour,” Yunho mumbled. 

They flipped the page again. This time they smiled. “I remember this one,” Yunho said. It was the photo of Hongjoong licking cake from Seonghwa’s face. Next to the photo was a taped down receipt for a cafe and a little doodled heart.

Wooyoung reached out and turned the page again. They both stopped short. It was the photograph of their hands, rings on their fingers.

“Promise rings,” Yunho read. “So that’s what those rings are.”

Wooyoung let his gaze move from the photo to the small line of text beside it. “When the time is right, we’ll wear the real thing,” he read. “Oh my god.”

They both stared at the picture for a little longer before the sound of a moving door made them break their gaze. Their eyes locked on Hongjoong and Seonghwa entering the room.

“Oh,” Hongjoong said. “I thought you’d be done by now.”

Yunho and Wooyoung shared a nervous look. Wooyoung cleared his throat. “Sorry, hyung. We got distracted. We found your photo album.”

Hongjoong and Seonghwa stopped.

“Which one?” Seonghwa asked.

Wooyoung wordlessly held up the pink album.

Seonghwa nodded to Hongjoong. “Okay,” he said with a sigh.

Yunho stepped forward. “Hyungs...why didn’t you tell us?” he asked nervously. He bit his lip.

“It’s not - we didn’t know how,” Hongjoong said, stumbling over his words slightly. He sighed deeply and took the album from their hands, smiling slightly at the open page. He closed it. “C’mon,” he said. “We may as well tell the others, too.”

The four of them made their way into the living room where the remaining 4 members - Junho, Yeosang, San and Mingi - were lounging.

They sat down on a sofa. “Seonghwa and I are in a relationship,” Hongjoong said.

There was a moment of silence. 

“What?” San asked.

“We found their relationship photo album by accident,” Wooyoung said, gesturing to the pink book that Hongjoong was still holding.

“Is that what those Polaroid photos were about?” Jongho asked from where he was sitting on the floor by the coffee table, directly facing them.

Seonghwa nodded. “It’s not really safe for us to take them digitally. Just in case. Too many idols get their photos exposed.”

“We figured it would be safer to stick to Polaroids instead,” Hongjoong added. He held up the album. “See?”

“Huh,” San said eloquently. 

There was a silence. “Is this - is everyone okay with this?” Seonghwa asked, voice uncharacteristically small.

The room burst the noise of 6 people reassuring them.

“So, what are the rings about?” Mingi asked from where he had migrated to sitting on the coffee table.

“Promise rings,” Hongjoong said simply. “We can’t get engaged but..one day, you know?” He shared a shy smile with Seonghwa and they twined their fingers together.

Mingi let out a soft noise. “That’s so cute.”

Meanwhile, Wooyoung had snuck out of the room and back into Hongjoong and Seonghwa’s bedroom in search of their Polaroid camera. After an unsuccessful search of the wardrobe he flattened himself on the floor and peered under the bed. “Aha!” he said, reaching to pull out the blue camera. It had changed since the last time he’d seen it, now decorated with a small Mars sticker.

Wooyoung felt a smile pull at his lips. “Mars, of course.” He moved to get up before noticing another book, this time yellow. He flipped it the right side up. ‘Another photo album?” he wondered.

He contemplated before standing back up. He could always check it another time.

He padded back into the living room where the conversation had calmed and everyone was back to their various activities. Hongjoong and Seonghwa were still sitting together, Hongjoong’s head resting on Seonghwa’s chest, both of them scrolling on their phones. He stood silently in front of them and snapped a quick photo of the happy couple.

“Yeosang,” he whispered. “Do you have a pen?”

Yeosang looked up from his phone to throw him a black biro. Wooyoung nodded in thanks.

In the blank space of the developing photo he wrote a caption: _’Telling the Family - HJ <3 SH’_


End file.
